Pesto Chicken Quinoa Bowl (Printable Version)
Tender chicken, pesto, quinoa, and roasted veggies come together for a nourishing, flavorful bowl meal.
# Ingredients:
→ Quinoa
01 -
120 g quinoa
02 -
240 ml unsalted or low-sodium chicken broth
→ Pesto Chicken
03 -
450 g boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 2.5 cm pieces
04 -
80 ml pesto
→ Roasted Vegetables
05 -
Cooking oil, for roasting
06 -
225 g grape or cherry tomatoes
07 -
1 medium zucchini, sliced into 1.25 cm thick rounds
08 -
80 g onion, chopped
09 -
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
10 -
0.25 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
→ Assembly
11 -
60 g fresh spinach
12 -
1 small avocado, thinly sliced
13 -
Lemon wedges
14 -
Kosher salt, to taste
15 -
Black pepper, to taste
# Steps:
01 -
Preheat oven to 190°C. Line a baking sheet and a 20x20 cm baking dish with foil.
02 -
Combine quinoa and chicken broth in a small pot. Bring to a boil over high heat. Cover, reduce to medium, and simmer for 12–15 minutes until liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat, let sit covered for 5 minutes, then season with a pinch of salt and fluff with a fork.
03 -
Toss chicken pieces with pesto, 1¼ teaspoons salt, and ½ teaspoon black pepper in the prepared baking dish. Bake for 12–20 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 68°C. Rest for 10 minutes to allow the chicken temperature to reach 74°C before slicing.
04 -
On the prepared baking sheet, combine tomatoes, zucchini, onion, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes if using, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Drizzle or spray lightly with oil, toss to coat, and roast for 8–12 minutes until the tomatoes begin to burst.
05 -
Divide spinach, quinoa, pesto chicken, roasted vegetables, and avocado among three bowls. Finish with a squeeze of lemon, then season with salt and pepper to taste.
# Notes:
01 -
For best results, use a meat thermometer to ensure chicken is cooked to a safe temperature after resting.
02 -
If substituting Morton kosher salt or sea salt for seasoning, reduce the quantity by half for equivalent saltiness.
03 -
You may use boneless, skinless chicken thighs as an alternative, adjusting baking time as needed.
04 -
For quicker preparation, the chicken and vegetables may be air fried at 175°C using foil and preheated basket.
05 -
Select vegetables with similar roasting times for consistent texture; denser vegetables should be diced smaller.